U.S. patent number 5,343,668 [Application Number 08/076,078] was granted by the patent office on 1994-09-06 for shutter anchorage system.
Invention is credited to Alfredo I. Gonzalez.
United States Patent |
5,343,668 |
Gonzalez |
September 6, 1994 |
Shutter anchorage system
Abstract
An anchorage device for supporting flat cover members for
openings in building structures. The device includes two
substantially similar stepped-plate members that include each an
anchorage section and a supporting section. One of the
stepped-plate members may in fact be flat or substantially flat,
depending on the termination of the building openings to be
protected. The anchorage section includes an opening and a
cooperating fastening assembly for readily and removably mounting
the device to the building structure with minimal aesthetic
detraction or structural alteration. These sections define a plane
each and these planes are kept in a spaced apart and parallel
relationship with respect to each other by a step wall member. The
supporting sections then are kept separate for their respective
plates and the separation is sufficient to cooperatively receive
the flat cover members that are used to protect the openings. The
innermost hole of the supporting member is threaded since it is
difficult, if not impossible to reach it. For corners, a modified
version is used that include two flat ear members perpendicularly
disposed with respect to each other.
Inventors: |
Gonzalez; Alfredo I. (Miami,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22129806 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/076,078 |
Filed: |
June 14, 1993 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/712; 52/202;
52/509; 52/208; 52/512; 52/506.05; 16/87R; 49/463; 52/770;
52/DIG.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G
21/24 (20130101); E06B 9/02 (20130101); E04G
21/241 (20130101); Y10T 16/35 (20150115); Y10S
52/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04G
21/24 (20060101); E06B 9/02 (20060101); E04B
001/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/202,208,506.5,511,512,509,715,712,704,698,770,DIG.12
;16/87R,DIG.40 ;248/231.1 ;49/463,465 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Friedman; Carl D.
Assistant Examiner: Canfield; Robert J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sanchelima; J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A side anchorage device for supporting adjacent co-planar flat
cover members, having a plurality of through holes, to be used in
protecting openings of building structures, comprising:
A. first side stepped-plate means having a first flat anchorage
section, a first step wall and a flat supporting section, and said
first step wall keeps the respective planes of said first flat
anchorage section and said first flat supporting section at a
spaced apart and parallel relationship with respect to each other,
and said first flat anchorage section having at least one opening
and said first flat supporting section having at least one
hole;
B. second side stepped-plate means having a second flat anchorage
section, a second step wall and a second flat supporting section,
and said second step wall keeps the respective planes of said
second flat anchorage section and said second supporting section at
a spaced apart and parallel relationship with respect to each
other, and said second flat anchorage having at least one opening
and said second flat supporting section having at least one hole
and wherein said second step wall being larger than said first step
wall so that the planes of said first and second flat supporting
sections are sufficiently separated to cooperatively receive said
flat cover member when said first and second side stepped-plate
means are cooperatively brought against each other;
C. first fastening means cooperatively received by the openings in
said first and second flat anchorage sections and said first
fastening means being removably mountable to said building
structures in an area adjacent to the opening being protected;
and
D. second fastening means cooperatively received by the holes in
said first and second flat supporting sections and adapted to be
received by the through holes in said flat cover member thereby
urging said first and second flat supporting sections towards each
other.
2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the hole in said second
flat supporting section is threaded to matingly and cooperatively
receive said second fastening means.
3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein the projected shape of
said first and second side stepped-plate means is substantially the
same.
4. A corner anchorage device for supporting adjacent co-planar flat
cover members, having a plurality of through holes, to be used in
protecting openings of building structures having rectangular
corners, comprising:
A. first corner stepped-plate means having a first flat anchorage
section, a first step wall and a flat supporting section, said
first flat anchorage section includes two first co-planar flat ear
members perpendicular to each other, said flat ear members include
each at least one hole, and said first step wall keeps the
respective planes of said first flat anchorage section and said
first flat supporting section at a spaced apart and parallel
relationship with respect to each other, and said first flat
supporting section having at least one hole;
B. second corner stepped-plate means having a second flat anchorage
section, a second step wall and a second flat supporting section,
said second flat anchorage section includes two second co-planar
flat ear members perpendicular to each other and said second step
wall keeps the respective planes of said second flat anchorage
section and said second supporting section at a spaced apart and
parallel relationship with respect to each other, and said second
flat anchorage having at least one opening and said second flat
supporting section having at least one hole and wherein said second
step wall being larger than said first step wall so that the planes
of said first and second flat supporting sections are sufficiently
separated to cooperatively receive said flat cover member when said
first and second side stepped-plate means are cooperatively brought
against each other;
C. first fastening means cooperatively received by the openings in
said first and second ear members and said first fastening means
being removably mountable to said building structures in an area
adjacent to the opening being protected; and
D. second fastening means cooperatively received by the holes in
said first and second flat supporting sections and adapted to be
received by the through holes in said flat cover member thereby
urging said first and second flat supporting sections towards each
other.
5. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein the hole in said second
flat supporting section is threaded to matingly and cooperatively
receive said second fastening means.
6. The device set forth in claim 5 wherein the projected shape of
said first and second side stepped-plate means is substantially the
same.
7. A side anchorage device for supporting flat cover members,
having a plurality of through holes, to be used in protecting
openings of building structures, comprising:
A. plate means having a first flat anchorage section and a flat
supporting section, and said first flat anchorage section having at
least one opening and said first flat supporting section having at
least one hole;
B. side stepped-plate means having a second flat anchorage section
a step-wall and a second flat supporting section, and said second
step wall keeps the respective planes of said second flat anchorage
section and said second supporting section at a spaced apart and
parallel relationship with respect to each other, and said second
flat anchorage having at least one opening and said second flat
supporting section having at least one hole and wherein said step
wall being sufficiently large so that the planes of said first and
second flat supporting sections are sufficiently separated to
cooperatively receive said flat cover member when said side plate
means and said side stepped-plate means are cooperatively brought
against each other;
C. first fastening means cooperatively received by the openings in
said first and second flat anchorage sections and said first
fastening means being removably mountable to said building
structures in an area adjacent to the opening being protected;
and
D. second fastening means cooperatively received by the holes in
said first and second flat supporting sections and adapted to be
received by the through holes in said flat cover member thereby
urging said first and second flat supporting sections towards each
other.
8. The device set forth in claim 7 wherein the hole in said second
flat supporting section is threaded to matingly and cooperatively
receive said second fastening means.
9. The device set forth in claim 8 wherein the projected shape of
said first and second side stepped-plate means is substantially the
same.
10. A corner anchorage device for supporting flat cover members,
having a plurality of through holes, to be used in protecting
openings of building structures having rectangular corners,
comprising:
A. corner plate means having a first flat anchorage section and a
flat supporting section, said first flat anchorage section includes
two first co-planar flat ear members perpendicular to each other,
said flat ear members include each at least one hole, and said
first flat supporting section having at least one hole;
B. corner stepped-plate means having a second flat anchorage
section, a step wall and a second flat supporting section, said
second flat anchorage section includes two second co-planar flat
ear members perpendicular to each other and said second step wall
keeps the respective planes of said second flat anchorage section
and said second supporting section at a spaced apart and parallel
relationship with respect to each other, and said second flat
anchorage having at least one opening and said second flat
supporting section having at least one hole and wherein said step
wall being sufficiently large so that the planes of said first and
second flat supporting sections are sufficiently separated to
cooperatively receive said flat cover member when said corner plate
means and said corner stepped-plate means are cooperatively brought
against each other;
C. first fastening means cooperatively received by the openings in
said first and second ear members and said first fastening means
being removably mountable to said building structures in an area
adjacent to the opening being protected; and
D. second fastening means cooperatively received by the holes in
said first and second flat supporting sections and adapted to be
received by the through holes in said flat cover member thereby
urging said first and second flat supporting sections towards each
other.
11. The device set forth in claim 10 wherein the hole in said
second flat supporting section is threaded to matingly and
cooperatively receive said second fastening means.
12. The device set forth in claim 11 wherein the projected shape of
said first and second side stepped-plate means is substantially the
same.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anchorage and to support devices
for shutters to be used to protect openings in a building.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of devices have been designed in the past to provide some
degree of protection for the openings in a building. However, most
of them require rather elaborate changes in the structure of the
opening and/or the peripheral area surrounding the opening to be
protected.
The closest reference known to applicant corresponds to U.S. Pat.
No. 4,384,436 issued to Green in 1983. However, said reference
differs from the present invention wherein the former requires the
brackets to be welded to the ironwork protecting the opening with
the consequent aesthetic detraction. Therefore, Green's patented
invention requires the previous installation of ironwork in the
opening being protected.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a
number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the
problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents
suggest the novel features of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a
device that can be readily mounted on the periphery of an opening,
on the exterior side, to provide the necessary support for the flat
cover members to be used to cover the opening.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device that can
be readily removed without substantially affecting the aesthetics
of the structure and opening being protected.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device
that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its
effectiveness.
Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the
following part of the specification, wherein detailed description
is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without
placing limitations thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With the above and other related objects in view, the invention
consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as
will be more fully understood from the following description, when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 represents an isometric view of the comer
stepped-plates.
FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the plates shown in FIG.
1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the plates represented in the
previous figures.
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the side stepped-plates.
FIG. 5 represents a side elevational view of the side
stepped-plates shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the plates represented in FIGS. 4 and
5.
FIG. 7 is a partial broken representation of the sill of a window
wherein the corner and side stepped-plates subject of the present
application have been incorporated.
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of an opening wherein the present
shutter anchorage system has been used.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, where the preferred embodiment
of the present invention is shown, it can be seen that it comprises
two corner stepped-plates 20 and 30. Corner stepped-plates 20 and
30 are used with the typical rectangular openings found in
buildings. Stepped-plate 30 has the deeper step. Corner
stepped-plate 20 can, in the case of a perfect opening, be flat and
cover member C (shown in FIG. 8) would still be flush with the
adjacent wall area that defines the opening being protected.
However, it has been found that irregularities found in the
openings require a minimum step in plate 20 to insure that cover
member C is either inside the opining or flush. If board member C
protrudes out it may let the forces in thereby forfeiting the
purpose. Plates 20 and 30 have basically two types of sections that
are referred to as anchorage sections 21 and 31 and supporting
sections 24 and 34. Anchorage sections 21 and 31 for plates 20 and
30 include ear members 22; 22'; 32 and 32', respectively. Step
walls 28 and 28' keep anchorage sections 21 and supporting section
24 at planes that are separated and parallel to each other.
Similarly, step walls 38 and 38' keep anchorage section 31 and
supporting section 34 at planes that are separated and parallel to
each other. Step walls 28 and 38 extend different distances so that
the difference is sufficient to cooperatively receive flat cover
member C, shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Ear members 22 and 22' are
perpendicularly disposed with respect to each other and include
cross-shaped openings 26 and 26'. Similarly, ear members 32 and 32'
are also perpendicularly disposed with respect to each other and
include cross-shaped openings 36 and 36'. Cross-shaped opening 26
and; 26'; 36 and 36' cooperatively allow screw members 50 and 50'
through anchor plates 20 and 30 to the wall in the area surrounding
the opening to be protected, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Plates
20 and 30 can be used with openings that include rectangular
corners.
The supporting sections 24 and 34 in plate members 20 and 30,
respectively, are flat members and include centrally disposed holes
25 and 35. Hole 35 is internally threaded to cooperatively receive
bolt member 40 as shown in FIG. 7. This is required because it is
not practical or easy to use a nut or other mating device behind
plate member 30 after cover members C is position.
In FIGS. 4 through 6, side stepped-plates 70 and 80 are shown.
Stepped-plate 80 has a step that is deeper than the step of plate
70. As in the case of plate 20, above, the step in plate 70 would
be zero (a flat plate) if we know that the opening to be protected
does not have irregularities. It is important to ensure that cover
members C will not protrude outwardly beyond the exterior plane of
the building opening being protected. Otherwise, the wind can come
through and lift cover member C. Side stepped-plates 70 and 80 can
be used with building openings of any shape, including circular
openings, and also in cooperative combination with corner
stepped-plates 20 and 30. FIGS. 7 and 8 show one of such uses of
cooperative combination of plates 70 and 80 with plates 20 and 30
when the opening being protected is rather large. As it can be
readily seen in FIG. 8, side stepped-plates 70 and 80 are mounted
at the joint of two cover members C and C' thereby improving the
structural integrity of the two cover members. Cover members C and
C' are typically sheets of plywood that are conventionally and to a
maximum width of four feet. Side stepped-plates 70 and 80 have
basically two sections that are referred to as flat anchorage
sections 72 and 82 that include elongated openings 76 and 86 that
cooperatively allow screw members 60 through to anchor plates 70
and 80 to the wall in the area adjacent to the opening being
protected. Step walls 78 and 88 extend different distances for the
same reason as step walls 28 and 38.
Supporting sections 74 and 84 of side stepped-plates 70 and 80,
respectively, include holes 75 and 85. Hole 85 is internally
threaded to cooperatively and matingly receive bolt member 90. As
with hole 35, this is required because it is not possible to use a
nut or other mating device behind flat cover member C.
The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the
objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different
embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention.
It to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be
interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting
sense.
* * * * *